Sunshine List Exposes High Earnings Among Windsor-Essex Public Sector Employees
Ontario's annual Sunshine List has revealed that approximately 7,500 public sector employees in the Windsor-Essex region earned $100,000 or more during the 2025 calendar year. This disclosure, mandated by the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, aims to enhance transparency and accountability to taxpayers across the province.
Top Earners in the Region
Leading the list is former Windsor Regional Hospital CEO Karen Riddell, who retired recently. She received a total compensation of $433,885.84, which included $12,847.44 in taxable benefits. Close behind is former University of Windsor president Robert Gordon, who earned $430,276.94 plus $11,957.12 in taxable benefits, despite working only seven months in 2025.
Other notable high earners include City of Windsor CAO Ray Mensour, with $333,504.53 plus $11,586.13 in benefits, and former Windsor police Chief Jason Bellaire, who retired in November and earned $268,287.05 plus $14,277.45 in taxable benefits. Mayor Drew Dilkens also made the list, receiving a salary of $218,949.11 with $9,893.64 in taxable benefits.
Breakdown by Organization
The data provides a detailed look at which public sector entities in Windsor-Essex have the most employees earning over the $100,000 threshold:
- Greater Essex County District School Board: 1,962 employees
- Windsor Regional Hospital: 1,285 employees
- City of Windsor (including police and fire departments): 1,219 employees
- Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board: 1,083 employees
- University of Windsor: 929 employees
- St. Clair College: 313 employees
- Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare: 260 employees
- County of Essex: 286 employees
- Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington: 139 employees
It is important to note that Enwin Utilities is not included in the Sunshine List and did not immediately respond to requests for its own salary disclosure.
Context and Historical Perspective
The Sunshine List, initiated in 1996, has maintained a consistent $100,000 threshold for inclusion. In 2025, nearly 405,000 people across Ontario met this criteria, reflecting a broad trend of high earnings in the public sector. The number of Windsor-Essex employees on the list remained similar to the previous year, indicating stability in regional public sector compensation.
According to the Ontario government, the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act serves to make the public sector more open and accountable to taxpayers. This annual release allows citizens to scrutinize how public funds are allocated in terms of employee salaries and benefits.
The disclosure highlights the significant financial investments in public services within Windsor-Essex, particularly in healthcare and education. For instance, Karen Riddell, during a press conference, emphasized that the new Windsor Regional Hospital represents the largest healthcare infrastructure investment in the region's history, underscoring the scale of public sector operations in the area.
